Construction layout guide

ABSTRACT

The construction layout guide is a gauge or template used to accurately position or layout metal stud walls and partitions during construction and assembly. The template is used to layout metal stud framing tracks on a floor and ceiling. The device includes a cold-formed 20-gauge steel assembly or frame formed from channels intersecting in the shape of an “L”, “T”, or “H”, having a flat base to receive the framing tracks for partitions. The L-shaped configuration has two channels connected at a 90° angle for corners, while the T-shaped guide forms two complementary 90° angles for an intermediate partition wall. The H-shaped guide forms four complementary 90° angles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to building construction guides,gauges and templates, and more particularly to a construction layoutguide that is used to accurately position or layout metal stud walls andpartitions during building construction and assembly.

2. Description of the Related Art

Layout partitioning in the construction industry has always been a verylabor intensive and time consuming procedure. Typically, in the layoutof wall studs during metal building construction, personnel must cut andfit wall stud tracks in place on the floor and the ceiling. Personnelmust first find appropriate dimensions, pop a caulk line, and theninstall metal tracks on the floor and ceiling to form the roomsspecified in the design plan. There is a long felt need for a moreefficient manner in which to form the layout plan for metal wall studsin metal construction.

Thus, a construction layout guide solving the aforementioned problems isdesired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The construction layout guide is a device that is used to accuratelyposition or layout metal stud walls and partitions during constructionand assembly. The guide is particularly used to layout metal studframing tracks on a floor and ceiling. The device comprises acold-formed 20-gauge steel assembly or frame formed from channelsarranged in the shape of an “L”, a “T”, or and “H”, the channels havinga flat base and side flanges to receive the framing tracks forpartitions. The L-shaped configuration features two legs connected at a90° angle for layout of an end corner. The T-shaped configurationfeatures two channels with the leg of one channel joining the middle ofone side flange of the other channel at a 90° angle for laying out theintersection of one wall with a medial portion of a second wall. Byplacing the guides in a desired location, the framing tracks may beaccurately positioned to receive intersecting metal stud wallpartitions.

These and other features of the present invention will become readilyapparent upon further review of the following specification anddrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an environmental, perspective view of an L-shaped constructionlayout guide according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a T-shaped construction layout guideaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a building layout facilitated by using theconstruction layout guides according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an H-shaped construction layout guideaccording to the present invention.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistentlythroughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As shown in FIGS. 1-4, the construction layout guides provide gauges ortemplates used to accurately position or layout metal stud walls andpartitions during construction and assembly. The L-shaped template 10 isa corner template, while the T-shaped template 20 is a wall divisiontemplate. When required, an H-shaped template 30 may be used. Thetemplates can be used to layout metal stud framing tracks on floors andceilings. The devices are made from cold-formed 20-gauge steel channelsjoined together in the shape of an “L”, “T”, or “H” shape with portionsof the side flanges being removed at the junction of the channels. Eachchannel has an elongated flat base 11 and side flanges 12 extending fromopposite edges of the base to form U-shaped channels, which receive theframing tracks F for partitions. The L-shaped configuration features twochannels connected at a 90° angle 90, with portions of the side flanges12 at the intersection of the two channels being removed. This permitsoptional selection of either partition to join the other on the end oredge of the partition wall or at the side face of the partition wall.The channels are dimensioned to receive construction framing tracks F.

The T-shaped configuration has two channels, with the end of one channelconnected to the middle or to a medial portion of the side flange of thesecond channel, with portions of the side flanges being removed at theintersection to form a continuous passage. The two channels form twocomplementary 90° angles 90. The channels are dimensioned to receiveconstruction framing tracks F. As shown in FIG. 3, walls can be formedfrom a construction plan 300 by placing the L-shaped guides 10 and theT-shaped guides 20 in a desired location, then aligning the framingtracks F with the L-shaped guides 10 and the T-shaped guides 20 toaccurately position the tracks F in preparation for receivingintersecting metal stud wall partitions.

Where appropriate, an H-shaped guide 30 may be used, e.g., to alignparallel walls. As shown in FIG. 4, the H-shaped guide 30 has twoparallel channels connected medially by a third channel, with portionsof the channel side flanges being removed at each channel intersection.It should be noted that H-shaped guide 30 forms a quad of 90° angles 90at the juncture of the channels.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to theembodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodimentswithin the scope of the following claims.

1. A construction layout guide, comprising first and second elongatedchannels, each of the channels having an elongated base plate andparallel side flanges extending from opposite edges of the base plate todefine U-shaped channels, one end of the second channel joining a medialportion of the first channel, intersecting portions of the side flangesof the first and second channels being removed to form a continuouspassage at the juncture of the two channels, the first and secondchannels being dimensioned and configured to receive a track for an edgeof a metal stud wall in order to ensure accurate layout of the metalstud walls.
 2. The construction layout guide according to claim 1,wherein the first and second walls form two complementary 90° angles atthe juncture of the channels.
 3. The construction layout guide accordingto claim 1, further comprising a third channel parallel to the firstchannel, the second channel being orthogonal to and connecting the firstand third channels to define an H-shaped guide, intersecting portions ofthe side flanges of each of the channels being removed to form acontinuous passage at the juncture of the channels.
 4. The constructionlayout guide according to claim 1, wherein the channels are made fromcold formed steel.
 5. The construction layout guide according to claim4, wherein the cold formed steel is 20-gauge cold formed steel.
 6. Aconstruction layout guide, comprising first and second elongatedchannels, each of the channels having an elongated base plate andparallel side flanges extending from opposite edges of the base plate todefine U-shaped channels, one end of the second channel joining one endof the first channel, intersecting portions of the side flanges of thefirst and second channels being removed to form a continuous passage atthe juncture of the two channels, the first and second channels beingdimensioned and configured to receive a track for an edge of a metalstud wall in order to ensure accurate layout of the metal stud walls,whereby the metal stud walls form a corner.
 7. The construction layoutguide according to claim 6, wherein the first and second walls form asingle 90° angle at the juncture of the channels.
 8. The constructionlayout guide according to claim 6, wherein the guide is made from coldformed steel.
 9. The construction layout guide according to claim 8,wherein the cold formed steel is 20-gauge cold formed steel.